NBA: Ranking all 30 starting centers for 2018-19

7. DeMarcus Cousins, Golden State Warriors

Playing out the 2018-19 season on a $5.3 million taxpayer mid-level exception, DeMarcus Cousins is probably going to be the best value deal in the entire league. However, as he aims to return from an Achilles injury on an unstoppable juggernaut that doesn’t even need him to three-peat, his ranking here is impossible to project.

Last year, Cousins was arguably the best center in basketball, at least on the offensive end. He averaged a staggering 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.6 steals per game on .470/.354/.746 shooting splits. Those numbers are from another stratosphere, and if he can even come close to that kind of production in a reduced role with the Golden State Warriors, he’ll leapfrog a couple of players currently ahead of him.

However, there’s also the chance he doesn’t return until January or February. If the Achilles injury holds this 270-pound big man back, or if he’s not fitting in, the Dubs could relegate him to limited minutes in pursuit of another title, which could easily cause him to fall back a few spots. For now, a ranking at No. 7 seems like a happy compromise between the best- and worst-case scenario.